The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has suspended the need for cargo trucks to secure a cargo entry/withdrawal permit (CEWP) to operate in and out of Metro Manila during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
Instead of the CEWP, any existing transport documents such as bill of lading, waybills, delivery orders/receipts, container interchange report, including from electronic systems (e.g. Terminal Appointment Booking System), mobile messaging, and receipts will serve as port entry/exit documents for inspection and verification by land, maritime, and health security authorities, according to PPA Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 10-2020.
MC 10-2020, which took effect immediately on March 17, replaces MC 09-2020, which required the CEWP from trucks entering/exiting Metro Manila to/from Manila ports as part of the community quarantine.
READ: PPA orders Manila port operators to issue cargo truck permit
MC 10-2020 implements the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary on March 16 placing the island of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine from March 17 to April 13 to stop the further spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but also mandating the unhampered movement of cargoes to, from, and within Luzon.
However, confusion reportedly reigned among industry stakeholders in the first hours of implementation of the memorandum over the lack of immediate implementing guidelines and their trucks being halted at checkpoints and being told that only trucks carrying basic goods and medicine were allowed to enter Metro Manila.
Under MC 10-2020, trucks carrying cargoes from one port to another in Luzon without having to traverse a body or bodies of water will be allowed continued access to and from these ports.
Carrying empty containers for withdrawal or repositioning out of the country “will also be ensured continuous entry to and from the ports and inland container yards/depots.”
Trucks carrying cargoes which will require traversing a body or bodies of water, or going from one island to another, will have to unload the cargoes at the next port of call and transfer these cargoes to another truck or vehicle; or alternatively, the trucks can engage a different driver and a maximum of two helpers provided by the trucking company/shipper/consignee for the continued voyage of the trucks and cargoes to their final destination.
In all cases, truck drivers and helpers will go through strict health screening at the ports before being allowed to enter or leave the ports and proceed to their next or final destination.
PPA said ports under its jurisdiction will continue to remain open to cargo ships provided the vessel crews do not embark/disembark, and requirements of the Bureau of Quarantine/Department of Health are followed.
PPA ports will deny entry to all passenger ships.
MC 10-2020 is subject to further or subsequent recommendations or issuances from the Office of the President, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Transportation, and other concerned agencies.
